Variable-resistance switch



' Aug. 5 1924, s. F. BRIGGS ET AL VARIABLE RESISTANCE SWITCH File y 9. 1917 2 shets sheet 1 W T M,

Aug 5,1924. 1,504,021

S. F. BRIGGS ET AL I VARIABLE RESI STANCE SWITCH Filed May 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN F. BRIGGS AND EDWARD N. JACOBI, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNO'RS '10 BRIGGS 8a STRATTON COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A. CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

VARIABLE-RESISTANCE SWITCH;

Application filed May 9, 1917. Serial No. 167,477.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, STEPHEN F. BRIGGS and EDWAR N. JACOBI, citizens of the United States, and residents of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee'and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Variable-Resistance Switches, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a switch to control the lighting circuits of an automobile or the like, wherein the strength of the headlights may be varied at will by the operation of the switch.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighting switch of this type which may be economically manufactured and which will be strong and durable.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in a variable resistance switch as herein claimed and all equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts in different views:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a variable resistance switch constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a rear view; 7

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view;

Fig. 5 is a rear view with the terminal head removed;

Fig. 6 is a rear view with the fuse panel removed;

Fig. 'l is a face view of the terminal head; and

Fi .8 is a detail view of the insulating coup ing for the-resistance varying slide.

In these drawings '10 indicates a front plate in which is mounted a switch member 11 having a handle 12 by which it may be turned to the various operative positions preferably indicated by words printed on the front of the front plate as seen in Fig. 1. To the rear of the front plate is secured a cylindrical metal shell forming a switch case 13 in the open end of which is suitably secured a disk of insulating material forming a terminal head 14. Metal studs 15 forced into openings in the terminal head form switch contacts at their inner ends,

while their outer ends have screws 16 threaded therein.

The switch member 11 carries spring contact arms 17 with convex ends for engaging recesses 18 in the ends of the studs 15 and 11 the face of the terminal head. In the various operative ositions of the switch the engagement of t e regularly spaced contact arms 17 with the correspondingly spaced recesses 18 holds the switch member against accidental movement. The switch s preferably provided with a lock consistmg of a rotary lock barrel 19 which becomes engaged with the switch member when the key is removed but which may be turned by the key when the key is inserted. A cam arrangement, not shown, and "forming no part of the present invention, causes the turning movements of the lock barrel to impart longitudinal movements to a plunger pin 20 causing it to depress a locking spring 21 which is secured to the terminal head and move said spring out of engagement with lugs 22 projecting from the switch member and thereby relieving the switch of the restriction to its movements "imposed by the locking mechanism.

The screws 16 previously referred to as threaded into the terminal studs 15, serve to fasten the fuse panel 23 to the back of the terminal head and also to secure fuse clips 24: thereto, the screws thus electrically connecting the fuse clips with the terminal studs as well as holding the fuse panel 23 in place. l uses 25 are engaged with these fuse clips 24 and also with other fuse clips on terminal connections 26.

One of the contact studs, which is engaged by a contact arm in the dim position of the switch, and which to distinguish it from the others is designated by the reference character 15, instead of having one of the long clip engaging screws 16 has a short screw 16 threaded therein which is accessible through an opening in the fuse panel and. serves to connect a metal strip 27 there with. Another metal strip 28 is held by the screw 16 which connects with the terminal stud engaged by a contact arm when in the on position of the switch and which is adapted to have connection through its fuse 25 with the headlights. These metal strips 27 and 28 are sufficiently heavy to rigidly support a resistance element 29 ion which has its terminal bands respectively connected with said metal strips. In the dim position of the switch the engagement of a contact arm with the contact stud 15 serves to establish a circuit through the headlights including the dimming resistance element 29 with its current strength depending upon the effective resistance of said resistance element. In order that the effective resistance of the resistance element may be varied to vary the current strength of the headlight circuit in this position of the switch so that the headlights may be dimmed more or less a resistance varying slide is provided to short circuit more or less of the resistance of the resistance element. The slide consists of a handle 30, an insulating block 31, a guide strip 32 and a contact spring 33, all being secured together in such a manner that the handle is insulated from the other parts. The guide strips 82 and cohtact spring 33 may be connected to the insulating block by rivets 34, one heyondthe handle and the other within an opening in the handle, while rivets 35 may connect the handle with the insulating block avoiding contact with the guide strip and contact spring in the same manner. The guide strip 32 passesthrough a guide opening in the metal strip 28, while the bent handle 39 passes through a guide opening in the front plate 10 so that the slide is only capable of straight line movement. The contact spring is bent to avoid the metal strip 28 and in the move ments of the slide. its curved free end rides over the exposed portions of the wire coil f the resistance element 29. The resistance wire, while covered with a protecting compound at otherparts, is left hare in the path of the contact spring. The engagement of the bent end of the contact spring between the convolutions of the resistance wire serves to hold the resistance varying slide in its adjustments and the spring action of the contact spring not only assures its perfect contact with the resistance wire, hut it also assures a perfect contact between the guide strip 32 and the metal strip 28 so that all of that portion of the resistance element between the point of engagement of the contact spring therewith and the terminal band with which said metal strip 28 connects is short circuited by the resistance varying slide and. the movements of the slide will, therefore, vary the effective resistance of the dimming coil 29 in the headlight circuit,

By means of the switch of this invention it is possible to adjust the strength of the headlights from time to time to suit the conditions by merely changing the posiand consequently the cost of installation is reduced.

The construction of the resistance varying means is such that it is inexpensive to manufacture and is strong and durable.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automobile lighting switch comprising a front plate, a switch member mounted to turn therein for controlling the head lights, and a slide passing longitudinally through the front plate for varying the resistance of the head light circuit.

2. An automobile lighting switch mounted on a front plate and having engaging contacts for controlling the headlight circuit, a resistance element mounted on the switch and adapted to be included in the headlight circuit, and a slide passing longitudinally through the front plate and engaging the resistance element for varying the effective resistance thereof.

3. An automobile lighting switch, a front plate therefor, contacts engaged by the switch for controlling a headlight circuit, a resistance element mounted on the switch and comprising a coil of wire adapted to be included in the headlight circuit, and a slide passing longitudinally through the front plate and having a spring contact riding over the successive convolutions of the resistance Wire for varying the effective resistance of the resistance element.

4:. An automobile lighting switch having a front plate and contacts for controlling a headlight circuit, a resistance element mounted on the switch and comprising a coil of wire adapted to be included in the headlight circuit, a guide connected with one end of the resistance wire, and a slide for varying the effective resistance oftthe resistance ele- Inent comprising a guide strip slidably engaging the guide, a contact spring secured to the guide strip and hearing with spring pressure on the respective convolutions of the resistance Wire and a handle member secured to and insulated from the guide strip and passing longitudinally through the front plate.

5. An automobile lighting switch having a front plate and contacts for controlling a headlight circuit, resistance element mounted on the switch and comprising a coil of wire adapted to be included in the headlight circuit, a guide connected with one end of the resistance wire, and a slide for varying the effective resistance of the resistance element comprisin a guide strip, slidably engaging the gui'e, a contact spring, an insulating block, fastening means passing through the insulating block, the guide strip and the contact spring, a handle member passing longitudinally through an opening in the front plate, a fastening means securing the handle member to the insulating block, there being openings in the handle member and the guide strip and contact spring to avoid electrical connection with the fastening means for the parts on the other side of the insulating block.

6. An automobile lighting switch comprising a switch member for controlling the head lights, a resistance coil mounted on the back of the switch and adapted to be included in the head light circuit, a slidin rod passing longitudinally through the ront plate and contacting with the convolutions of the resistance'coil for varying the resistance of the head light circuit.

7. An automobile lighting switch, comprising a casing, a switch member mounted therein, an insulating terminal head on the back of the switch casing, contact studs passing through the terminal head and engaged by the switch member, screws threaded into the contact studs, fuse clips held by the screws, a fuse panel of insulating material held by the screws between the fuse clips and the contact studs, fuses engaged by the fuse clips, connecting strips mounted on some of said screws, a resistance element supported by the connecting strips and having its terminals connected with the connecting strips, and a slide guided by one of the connecting strips and engaging the resistance element to vary the effective resistance thereof.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses STEPHEN F. BRIGGS. EDWARD N. JACOBI. Witnesses:

R. S. C. CALDWELL, H. D. Cmsn. 

